Video: The freaky triple deaky “skydivers’ planes collide” clip

posted at 6:01 pm on November 5, 2013 by Allahpundit

To cleanse the palate before election-night coverage begins, video proof that truth can be stranger than fiction even when the fiction’s directed by Michael Bay. You’re about to watch two planes collide in mid-air with nine skydivers in total aboard — four of them outside the plane, on the step and ready to jump, when impact occurs. Death toll: Zero, with one of the pilots suffering only minor injuries. Believe it or not, the pilot in the second plane was able to steer it safely back to the airport. Tell me how likely any of those details seem to you after you watch the clip.

To a man, the divers say they’re willing to jump again in the future. I’m treating the clip as a metaphor for the shutdown and the RINO/tea party infighting during and after: It was explosive and potentially disastrous for the GOP, but everyone got out OK thanks to their ObamaCare parachutes. Onward to the midterms!

Blowback

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I’m treating the clip as a metaphor for the shutdown and the RINO/tea party infighting during and after: It was explosive and potentially disastrous for the GOP, but everyone got out OK thanks to their ObamaCare parachutes.

It appeared the upper plane put it’s right landing gear into the left wing which is were the gas is at. Which is why the immediate fire. Who was out of position you can’t tell. I assume the pilots had parachutes because the planes were either classified as experimental or aerobatic. They do take the jump doors off them for fast exit. Very lucky.

the pilot in the second plane was able to steer it safely back to the airport. Tell me how likely any of those details seem to you after you watch the clip.

AP, I think the “second plane” is the higher aircraft. The lower aircraft only had one wing remaining which would make it impossible to fly (not “very difficult to fly” – “impossible to fly”).

The article indicates that the pilot of the lower aircraft bailed out – which is why he wasn’t killed.

It seems as if the upper aircraft may have pitched down as a result of the skydivers causing drag below the aircraft’s center of gravity. Also, it might have been going slow and the engine (or pilot) might not have responded quickly enough to compensate for the excess drag. Thoughts?

…Who was out of position you can’t tell. I assume the pilots had parachutes because the planes were either classified as experimental or aerobatic. … Very lucky.

CW20 on November 5, 2013 at 6:53 PM

Technically, you CAN tell who was out of position at the moment of impact. The pilot of the trailing plane has only ONE job and that is to maintain separation with the lead plane. In the video at the time of impact the plane on top is trailing.

But that doesn’t mean that he was SUPPOSED to be the trail plane. Something may have happened to cause the original trail plane to overtake the lead plane.

Maybe that happened here? I don’t know, but it is unusual for the trail plane to be above and to the left of the lead plane because that is the position in which it is most difficult for the trail pilot to see the lead plane when flying close together. For a number of reasons, slightly above and on the right side of the lead plane is usually where the trail plane would be on jump run.

They do take the jump doors off them for fast exit.

Usually not. If you check the video you can see the door. It hinges at the top. It takes about 20 minutes to reach altitude and that’s a LONG time to not have a door – very windy, noisy and this time of year in WI, rather cold also.

i’m still trying to get over the fact that people willingly jump out of planes for fun?? i mean wtf?? never mind the crash, just seeing how high up they were from the ground made me uncomfortable… (of course, the crash made me even more uncomfortable) *shudder*

i’m still trying to get over the fact that people willingly jump out of planes for fun?? i mean wtf?? never mind the crash, just seeing how high up they were from the ground made me uncomfortable… (of course, the crash made me even more uncomfortable) *shudder*

Sachiko on November 5, 2013 at 8:27 PM

It is fun. It can’t really be explained, only experienced. They were at 12,000 ft. At some dropzones, it is possible to do high altitude jumps from about 22,000 ft. That’s 90 seconds of free fall. Very cool.

To a man, the divers say they’re willing to jump again in the future. I’m treating the clip as a metaphor for the shutdown and the RINO/tea party infighting during and after: It was explosive and potentially disastrous for the GOP, but everyone got out OK thanks to their ObamaCare parachutes. Onward to the midterms!

Way too close together. Double pilot error though the pilot below had zero chance to see the above plane.

Antidote. Several years ago I was flying over an airport at altitude. Suddenly peeps starting falling through the clouds all around me. Wish I had a video. Scared them more than me. Must have been a dozen jumpers. Very bad timing though all is well that ends well.

Several years ago I was flying over an airport at altitude. Suddenly peeps starting falling through the clouds all around me. … Must have been a dozen jumpers. Very bad timing though all is well that ends well.

filetandrelease on November 6, 2013 at 4:07 PM

Just wondering if you learned from your multiple mistakes?

Scared them more than me.

Really? I don’t know what kind of a plane you were flying, but depending on what part of your airframe was struck, a collision with a jumper might not have turned out any better for you than the jumper. You might just have had more time to think about it on the way down.